Election Security: Facts, Myths, and Fixes

 The U.S. election system is the bedrock of our democracy, but disinformation and conspiracy theories have shaken many voters’ confidence. Unfounded allegations about the 2020 election include that results were hacked by voting machine manufacturers, that tens of thousands of ballots were misplaced, destroyed, or counted twice, and that thousands of people voted illegally. These is no credible evidence that the 2020 presidential outcome was affected by fraud, but some individuals and media organizations continue to sow doubts.

 At the same time, U.S. elections do face real security threats, including increasingly aggressive hacking attempts by hostile governments. After years of underinvestment, some states have recently adopted stronger safeguards, but the nation as a whole remains a patchwork of strength and weakness. Without further action by Congress and the states, future elections will be vulnerable to both real attacks and false accusations of fraud. It is essential that voters be accurately informed about election security, both to counter disinformation and to understand what risks call for urgent action

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J. Alex Halderman, PhD, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Director of the Center for Computer Security and Society, University of Michigan.

Dr. Halderman is one of the most sought-after election security experts in the world. Dr. Halderman is a professor of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Michigan and Director of U-M’s Center for Computer Security and Society. Professor Haldeman’s research focuses on computer security and privacy, with an emphasis on problems that broadly affect society and public policy, including software security, network security, data privacy, anonymity, election cybersecurity, censorship resistance, computer forensics, ethics, and cybercrime. He has twice testified before congress concerning election security and serves as co-chair of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s Election Security Advisory Commission. In 2019, he was named an Andrew Carnegie Fellow for his work in strengthening election cybersecurity with evidence-based solutions. Last year, he received the University of Michigan President’s Award for National and State Leadership. Professor Halderman is the creator of “Securing Digital Democracy,” a massive, open, online course about the risks and potential of election technology that has attracted over 10,000 participants worldwide.

More information:

https://alexhalderman.com/

https://news.engin.umich.edu/2018/04/mock-election/

https://news.umich.edu/five-ways-americans-can-keep-their-vote-secure-and-accurate/